Author: KAVIA M R

Ukraine: Ukrainian President Mr. Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed the discussions regarding the nation’s scheduled 2024 elections, saying it is “irresponsible” as the country is in a war. The President said in a video address that Ukraine must focus on the military and stay united. “We all understand that now, in wartime, when there are many challenges, it is utterly irresponsible to engage in topics related to an election in such a frivolous manner,” Mr. Zelenskyy remarked. “We need to recognise that this is a time for defence, a time for battle, upon which the fate of the state and its…

Mexico: Polish tennis player Iga Swiatek has beaten Aryna Sabalenka to enter her first WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) Finals. Swiatek will be the best player in the world for the second consecutive year if she wins the title. “I’m really, really happy; I think that was the toughest and also the nicest match that I’ve played here,” Swiatek said after her win. The Polish player will face American tennis player Jessica Pegula in the finals. Pegula defeated American player Coco Gauff 6-2, 6-1 to reach her dreamy finals. Both players who qualified for the finals had exceptional rivals in their…

Nepal: Western Nepal has struck a magnitude-5.6 earthquake, reportedly taking at least 119 lives. Around 190,000 people live in the western area of Jajarkot, where the earthquake hit. The US Geological Survey (USGS) said it was just 18 kilometres (11 miles) deep. The vibrations were felt in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu and in the Indian capital, New Delhi, which is about 600km (375 miles) away from Jajarkot. According to a resident in New Delhi who spoke to the Britain Herald, they didn’t feel much shaking, as seismic activity is not uncommon in this region. Jajarkot local official Mr. Harish Chandra Sharma…

Pakistan: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has revealed that the delayed national elections will take place in February 2024. “It was unanimously decided that the election will be held on Thursday, February 8,” the ECP said in a statement. They announced it after a discussion with the Pakistani President, Mr. Arif Alvi. A temporary government has taken over Pakistan after parliament was dissolved on August 9, 2023. The elections were supposed to take place within 90 days of the dissolution of parliament, but the ECP said it needed time to adjust constituent boundaries under the new census. There are…

Japan: The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has started to release its third round of treated and diluted wastewater into the Pacific Ocean. The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) reportedly said that it will pump 460 tonnes of radioactive water per day into an underwater tunnel until November 20, 2023. The first water release occurred from August 24 to September 11, 2023. The second release started from October 5 to 23, 2023. According to the statement, TEPCO plans to release a total of 31,200 tonnes of water in four rounds till March 2024. Fishermen who get fish from the water…

Kenya: Britain’s King Charles has said Kenya’s independent struggle during the colonial era was “abhorrent and unjustifiable.” During his first visit as King to a Commonwealth country, he remarked that there was “no excuse” for the colonial atrocities. In reply, Kenya’s President, Mr. William Ruto, praised King for addressing such “uncomfortable truths.” The King told the guests, as Kenya celebrates its 60th independence in December, that, “it matters greatly to me that I should deepen my own understanding of these wrongs and that I meet some of those whose lives and communities were so grievously affected.” Ahead of the state…

France: Argentine footballer Lionel Messi has won his 8th Ballon d’Or, while Spain’s Aitana Bonmati won the Women’s Ballon d’Or in a ceremony in the Chatelet Theatre in Paris. Messi earned the trophy for his career performance, especially his 2022 Qatar World Cup, for which he bought the dreamy trophy home. The player scored a total of seven goals in the matches and became the best player of the 2022 World Cup. The other competitors for this award were Norwegian footballer Erling Haaland and France’s Kylian Mbappe. Haaland won the Gerd Muller Trophy for his record-breaking goal haul last season.…

Australia: The free trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and Australia has reportedly failed. The Albanese government said a deal is now unlikely in this term of parliament. The country’s minister for trade, Mr. Don Farrell, stated that “unfortunately, we’ve not been able to make progress” after talking with EU representatives on the sidelines of the G7 ministerial meeting. The Australian government said that it would only make a deal beneficial for the nation. The key demand for the country was increased access for Australian agricultural exporters to sell to EU customers. However, neither of them compromised. The Australian…

United States: Matthew Perry, famous for his role as Chandler Bing in the popular TV show Friends, has passed away at the age of 54. According to the sources, Perry died in apparent drowning at his house in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles. An official reason for his death has not been provided as of now. Perry achieved worldwide recognition as one of the most well-known actors for portraying the sarcastic and quick-witted character Chandler Bing on NBC’s Friends. The show aired for 10 seasons, spanning from 1994 to 2004. This comedy, depicting the lives of six friends in New York…

China: Mr. Li Keqiang, a former Chinese premier, has passed away at the age of 68. The former premier suffered a heart attack and passed away in Shanghai shortly after midnight, as reported by the state-run news agency Xinhua. During his 10-year term as premier under Mr. Xi’s leadership, Mr. Li Keqiang projected an image of being a more contemporary and devoted member of the Communist Party when compared to some of his more rigid counterparts. Mr. Li, the son of a low-ranking party official in the underprivileged Anhui province in eastern China, was sent to rural areas to labor…